Brown Hair With Blonde Tips

the rain, did not want to stop, the sun ... and the Vietnamese autumn ...

but now it is indeed quite a while back, but I would not like you still withheld, as was the case with many of the water. well, it started on 31 october ...

... and it did not stop. to rain. no to pour, that's probably true. masses of water flocked down on us, day and night, almost incessantly. small, not really significant interruptions left us all breathe a sigh of times and hope. vain. no, it did not stop. 6 days long. or was it 7? I's felt like an eternity. thick and even thicker raindrops, gathered in droves pounded loudly on our doors and windows. 2mm rushes past as you would find a railroad track and end a never ending train at one. as loud as I felt the part.
und ploetzlich schien nichts mehr zu gehen. eine millionenstadt lahmgelegt. hanoi kapitulierte in vielen teilen vor der naturgewalt. seit jahrzehnten hatte es wohl im noerdlichen vietnam nicht mehr so extrem starke regenfaelle mit derartigen ueberflutungen gegeben. am schlimmsten traf es die randgebiete von hanoi, in denen die menschen in ihren zumeist einfachen, oft provisorischen heimen den steigenden wassermassen in den auslaeufen des roten flusses schutzlos ausgeliefert waren. zwischen 20 und 30 todesopfer, so hoerte man.
doch auch im zentrum war das, wennglich geringere, ausmass unverkennbar: wasserdurchflutete strassen und geschaefte, verkehrschaos. sogar der hoan kiem see, das herzstueck von hanoi, trat ueber seine ufer. und auch wir mussten auf dem away to our Volunteer house knee-deep wade through the water. one dreckbruehe! I'd rather not think about what is was not so at all excrement and wastes and other concocted around our feet. hm ... eye to the core! what else we had left? and behind her beautiful wash my feet! our house was permeated by water and moist air, which meant that many a backpack and attaches so many garment mold. My things were fortunately unharmed. the hotel room of the 4 daenninen was particularly affected by mold-infested. The walls were covered only by black spots Sun and you could smell it too. out of concern for their health, they are drawn into a hotel, and there weilen sie immer noch, weil die schadensbehebung laenger dauern sollte. ganz ehrlich, ich haette in diesem zimmer auch keine weitere nacht verbringen wollen, nicht unbedingt. aber freiwillige, die in einem hotel wohnen, das mutet doch schon sehr befremdlich an... ob sich das problem allerdings jemals richtig loesen laesst? ich glaube, mit feuchten uns auch verschimmelten waenden muss man hier immer mal wieder rechnen, vermutlich auch in dem einen oder anderen hotel. fuer die vietnamesen ist das sicher nichts ungewoehnliches, ihre haeuser sind ja alle aehnlich (einfach und durchlaessig) gebaut. keine ahnung, wie sie das handhaben. ob sie sich der gesundheitlichen gefahren bewusst sind?
waehrend viele vietnamesen an diesen regenreichen tagen klugerweise zu hause blieben, wagte sich der eine oder andere von uns freiwilligen doch hinaus, einfach um dem erdrueckenden gefuehl im haus zu entfliehen. ihren projekten beizupflichten war vielen nicht moeglich und das eine ganze woche lang. allmaehlich, eigentlich schon nach 2, 3 Tagen, hatten wir das gefuehl, uns faellt die decke auf den kopf. so gemuetlich und kuschelig fuehlt sich unser haus nun auch wieder nicht an, als das man tage lang drinnen bleiben moechte. und solange noch der eine oder andere bus faehrt... auch ich gehoerte zu den verrueckten auslaendern, die sich von dem bisschen mehr regen nicht davon abhalten liessen, durch die gegend zu stapfen. zusammen mit judith und luise, zwei weiteren deutschen freiwilligen sowie roxane, einer franzoesin und meiner lieben margaret machte ich mich auf den weg zu einer der aeltesten siedlungen vietnams (ca. ab dem 3 jahrhundert vor chr.), zur thanh co loa citadel, der muschelzitadelle (sieht wohl aus der vogelperspektive aus wie eine meeresmuschel). mit meinem vietnamesischen regencape und meinen neu errungenen gummistiefeln, die mir nun endlich ihren ersten dienst erweisen konnten, war ich doch eigentlich ganz gut ausgeruestet. weit gefehlt! das wasser stand so hoch, da halfen auch keine gummistiefel. und durch jede oeffnung stroemte der regen, aus allen richtungen, gefuehlt: von oben, von unten, von der seite, wie auch immer. am ende war ich durchtraenkt. triefend und tropfend und veraergert ueber mich selbst gab ich auf. war wohl doch nicht so das geeignete wetter, sich auf eine historische to go exploring. Absolutely not! (And penalty must be!), I'll's probably later again try to dry at a time. now there was only one to wait on the sun. and we should be quite happy again soon.
the clean up work after the flood but still took a while. whereas with all the water? even days after it was in some lanes strassenund at least knoechelhoch. what the total damage amounts ultimately, I do not know. there was enormous ernteausfaelle, the consequence that the prices of vegetables soared rice and corn in the extreme height. a kilo of morning glory, for example - a kind of spinach, THE Vietnamese vegetables at all - costs usually dong 3000-5000 (15-20 cents). immediately after the storm, the kilo price multiplied up to 15000-20000 dong (in some cases almost a €), which for most is a lot of Vietnamese and therefore makes a lot ...
while since it is our first and only moderate rain, it probably should have in the meantime in some north-eastern and central provinces of Vietnam have been raining vigorously and gestuermet.
in hanoi beamed against it and the sun shines still, quite often and quite intense. the temperatures are now slightly lower, after the oppressive heat of the past months pleasantly mild, I think, and now and a fresh wind is blowing so. While the Vietnamese already cold and shivering and looking forward again to the next summer, autumn seems that North Vietnamese as done for me. finally freed from the burden of sweating! at night it cools down some, but starting from much. I am then happy if I can crawl into my thick sleeping bag, me being at the start was not really clear whether I really need it or whether I would not have perhaps carried along for free. However, I fear, be prepared clothing technically not really on the Vietnamese winter, trousers skirts with my t-shirts and airy and ... I would have packed better but sometimes two or three thick sweaters. temperatures can in the coming winter months namely ever go up to 5 degrees down. and the Vietnamese to run around so now the thick scarves. I will probably end up not even freeze in vietnam? hm ... at the moment it's even. follow
indeed, many foreign tourists from the western to the recommendations of guidebooks, which praise the time between October and December as the best time. is everywhere groups large and small, and looks induvidualtouristen backpacker strip along the sights through the streets. the whole city, I almost think the whole country is just really crowded with tourists. as one ceases, the hotels fully booked in some places. Who would have thought? some of my fellow volunteers respond already panicked, worried about their accommodation, you can read it on many in the next two, three, a longer trip around Vietnam-week program on before then after 2, 3 or even 4 months of volunteer work goes back home. yes, home. How beautiful and even more beautiful it sounds, from a distance. it will be quiet here ....

Blood Vessels In Boob

And suddenly everything was different ...

... But first things first. (Makes you to another very long passed entry!)
it was clock just 6 in the morning, our first night in Hai Duong welfare center was not yet behind us, as it is the first time at our door and knocked briefly and quietly, hardly perceptible. No reason to get up. but already 10 minutes later it was over with peace of mind the morning. was a loud knock from the gentle, energetic To shake unmistakable. what did it mean? I dragged myself out of bed and carefully opened the door to see. by tuerspalt luckten kulleraugen at once two large. unglaeubich still something I pushed the door wide. and there he stood, grinning impudently: small-taj, just 8, 9, maybe even ten years old. he had won from the beginning. small-taj should wake us from now on every morning in his own art. Thus began our time in hai duong ...
actually we were - lisa and me - glad to be able to hustle in the volunteer house and even the urban jungle for a while finally behind us. so easy it is to me but not yet fallen, the farewell to Hanoi, I have yet so many other (s) freiwillige(n) doch schon sehr in mein herz geschlossen. ja, und so ist auch die eine oder andere kleine traene gekullert, nicht nur bei mir, schnief. (margaret hat auch geschluchzt, ich hab's gehoert und gesehen...;)) mit sack und pack machten wir zwei uns also vor nunmehr fuenf wochen auf den weg nach hai duong. doch aus der erhofften ruhe und erholung wurde dann aber ersteinmal nix. (ob daraus bei den vielen kindern im zentrum ueberhaupt jemals irgendetwas werden koennte, sei mal dahin gestellt...) denn als wir ankamen begruessten uns 40 (!) freiwillige aus singapur, die fuer eine woche angereist waren, um im wohlfahrtszentrum u.a. die betten und waende in den zimmern der kids neu anzustreichen. die betten erhielten ein neues leuchtend-gruenes kleid The walls and beamed at the end of a sunny yellow. since almost everyone in the center with the organization and conduct of this work camps was busy, people the excitement due to a multitude of already very large and was there for us to do in the whole of trubel thus not really something that we decided just to us the group to join, so have mitgepinselt busy. and by the way was once again a lively cultural exchange. great! I noticed that I have about Singapore, this tiny Southeastern Asian country so far only very few knew. How it was to learn all about them in multinational country where everyone speaks English, first of all. And indeed, the young all looked different, one more Indian, a anderer malaiisch und wieder ein anderer trug chinesische zuege. eine schoene bunte mischung, sehr faszinierend. und wie offen und herzlich sie uns in ihre mitte aufnahmen! wir wissen jetzt zum beispiel auch, wie man in singapur geburtstag feiert. da bleibt niemand sauber, denn es werden kuchen und torten nur so umher geschleudert. ein wahres vergnuegen fuer den (gluecklichen), der nur zuguckt - und nichts abbekommt! wir durften naemlich mit feiern. 5 geburtstage fielen zufaellig in diesen zeitraum und so ging maechtig die post ab, mit eben viel kuchen und torte. und karaoke, da steh' ja zugegebenermassen nicht so drauf. irgendwie kommt mir dabei immer meine stimme abhanden. aber das ganze treiben zu beobachten, war schon aeusserst amuesant. ich war erstaunt, wieviel energy and high spirits the boys and girls sprayed. and all without alcohol! yes, it's possible without. (That calms a non-drinker like me immensely ...;)) overall I was very impressed by the group, this incredible group dynamics, somehow exemplary. for us it was a very nice start, this has us arriving but the encounter made easier. arrive, and true, that was exactly what Lisa and I wanted to. after 6 weeks living out of suitcases (more or less) under sometimes challenging conditions, hovering at 6 weeks with stopovers in Hanoi and Ha Long city, we wanted to finally feel a permanent place at home. and the conditions that seemed almost in Hai Duong to be optimal, in the beginning: Versatile betaetigungsmoeglichkeiten in the welfare center, incredibly lovely and lively children, good food and one for the situation here actually quite oke lodging. Well, how does that sound? good, right? Our first impression of our new home, the future of our home and workplace was in any case (almost) all positive. the city itself seemed to be for us a place where one could live quite well for a longer time seemed to us hai duong but a lot less messy and noisy and hectic than Hanoi. Lisa and I so moved the first day next to our use of color remodeling of the accommodations of the kids so well, we set ourselves our own little to create rich, and to explore the area. a nice big room in a relatively new, very modern building in which rooms are in addition to the voluntary and the classrooms, the kitchen and the huge dining room should finally belong to us alone. if I'm in our cramped wohnverhaeltnisse zuruekdenke in Hanoi, when we had to share the six of us a much smaller space ... we did in Hanoi do not really know where to put our things, simply because no space was, we did not really here what should we do with our stuff, because beds in our room but two huge and a small plastic table initially nothing was there. So where our books, shoes, cosmetics and toiletries etc., stand up and hang up our garments and towels? hm? we found: a kleiderstaender including coat hangers had to be designed only once, among others. That's what happened. (In the end it was a very simple, temporary welded together, but very practical - just about do it: it must be practical - metal frame ...) and lo and behold, our little worked amazingly rich at a time much cozier. to this the photos of our dear home, the whole time in the suitcase and fell asleep at last adorn the walls around our beds were - perfect! So under the given circumstances it was very comfortable. we could not complain really. especially since we have our own, I'll call once had bathroom, what a luxury. actually it was just a toilet, which we used as a bathroom. a proper shower, there was not only a sink in the transition. and there was always someone to come over. so we have the injection tube, which was located right next to the loo quickly turned into the shower. it went surprisingly well. showered and washed in hai duong but only with cold water. I wonder how the then in the winter feels like, if it's noticeably cooler (even for us), for Vietnamese relations is really cold? Consider: there is no heating, anywhere. hm ...
well, and then suddenly everything was different. It had so much promising and encouraging start. and then this: you have to, unfortunately, indoors To stay on and that Monday, Wednesday and Friday and complete on Tuesday and Thursday to 16 clock and clock back from 21, the weekend is upon prior notice of departure at leisure. welcome to reality in Vietnam! Our first thought: oh herje want to arrest us something? it felt in the first moment at least. what did it mean? why these strict rules? If I only knew. as accurate, so really, we could explain the same thing no one. one hand, they showed themselves to our security concerns, their worries you, we could cause trouble. our health seemed to be somewhat at heart, we would have something impure can eat from any street stand. (alles erfahrungswerte?) und immer wieder die polizei. aber was ist denn nur mit der polizei in hai duong? mag sie es etwa nicht, wenn zu viele auslaender zu oft auf der strasse herum laufen? in hanoi stoert sich doch auch niemand daran, oder? hm... fuer lisa stand jedenfalls gleich fest: hier bleibe ich nicht! waehrend ich mir nach dem ersten schock ueberlegte, es zumindestens erst einmal zu versuchen - ich weiss nicht, aber ich denke, mit solch strikten regeln muss man in einem land wie vietnam einfach rechnen, oder? - blieb sie auch dann noch dabei, als man uns nach heftigen diskussionen schliesslich einen einmaligen taeglichen ausgang ermoeglichte. mehr war nicht drin. oh, ich glaube, wir haben gleich zu beginn bereits gegen jede vietnamesische hoeflichkeitsregel failed, especially those of moderation. but ... we were just too overwhelmed.
I could convince them but then lisa, get going only once, with our project work. we were finally came to teach English. said, not really done more tries. somehow ... we had expected in advance for children who would be able to learn English, we now had to find that most children that would have allowed or we can teach mentally impaired were so strong that it would have made absolutely no sense, teach them English. Rather, we found these children need a different promotion, a different allocation. for those who in der lage gewesen waeren, englisch zu lernen, war es jedoch nicht vorgesehen, weil sie entweder ihre schulische ausbildung - die sich im wohlfahrtszentrum auf nur 4 jahre beschraenkt, also nur die elementartse bildung umfasst - bereits abgeschlossen haben oder gerade einen handwerksberuf erlernen. na gut, dann machen wir mit den kids eben etwas anderes (uns schien die situation in keinster weise problematisch), z.b. spielen, malen, basteln, singen, irgendetwas kreatives, etwas sinnliches oder auch sportliches. wir sind da total offen und flexibel, dachten wir uns. aber dafuer fehlten wiederum die mittel und materialien (an allen ecken und enden fehlt das geld) und so richig platz dafuer gab es in dem strikten, von frueh bis spaet fast minutioes durchgeplanten tagesablauf offenbar auch nicht. man wollte uns jedenfalls nicht so richtig lassen. da war sie wieder: die fuer vietnam typische starre struktur, die sich eben nicht so mir nichts dir nichts, nur weil wir es so wollen, aufbrechen laesst. dabei waren wir so euphorisch und zuversichtlich, voller ideen. und wir haben's ja auch wirklich versucht... am ende waren wir enttaeuscht (auch von uns selbst?) und , ja schon, auch frustriert. die einzige aufgabe, die man uns ohne weiteres ueberlassen haette, war das babysitten. ja, bei den neugeborenen waisenkindern haette man uns sehr gerne gehabt. das waere ohnehin, so sagte man uns, teil der vereinbarung zwischen meiner vietnamesischen organisation (sj vietnam) und dem wohlfahrtszentrum gewesen. allerdings stand davon nothing in that project, which formed the basis of my decision. there was something of disadvantaged and disabled children - and that can eg be yes disabilities including physical, the child then yes koenen still learning English - from English classes and recreational activities, but nothing of babysitting. and a year to babysit? so I do not know ... I had imagined in my volunteer work is something else again. something ... kreativereres ... more productive, more communicative ... ... hm ... I hope this does not sound like now ... somehow lifted or so ...(?) plan of all these circumstances in their only encouraged, it was for Lisa still only one consequence, namely go to the project. and for me? irgednwie schlummerte da ganz tief in mir immer noch so ein ganz kleines fuenkchen hoffnung, dass sich vielleicht doch nich wege und moeglichkeiten eroeffnen koennten. bleiben?
was waren wir aufgewuehlt und unsicher, lisa und ich. was sollte nun werden? ja, ich hatte angst. fuer mich fuehlte es sich an wie ein scheitern, hatte ich mich doch so auf mein projekt in hai duong gefreut, auf meine aufgabe dort, war richtig gut darauf vorbereitet. auch hatte ich nach allen seiten hin fuer mein projekt geworben. und ploetzlich lastete da so ein enormer druck auf meinen schultern. warum konnte es nicht einfach funktionieren? einfach ist gut, wir sind hier schliesslich in vietnam. und das bedeutet: ein anderes system, eine andere kultur mit anderen normen und werten, andere denk- and acting. and all the incidents have in the past few weeks only, can only do that one must instead look at and understand in these aspects. I wanted to shock moments after all the excitement, after all only a few small easy to understand why everything has happened. It was not to be foremost on the device, the Hai Duong welfare center in itself. Rather, the conditions had changed there or did the conditions on which we knew nothing. and the communication is here in Vietnam so such a thing. It was well until recently 2, 3 English classes in Hai Duong. but now all their students have made their statements, have returned to their families or about a begin to craft training. and because we initially more or less insisted on teaching English, they gave us a great, all were aware of the fact that their students due to various mental capabilities would not be able to learn English. (Please excuse if I am repeating myself, but it's not that easy to explain, and also for me, or was it not so easy for me to locate there somewhere ...) and so we continued drilling and urged that alternative . much too much too, probably. but we did not know any better. We were helpless. xoan and a long-time volunteer coordinators, and so was our main contact for only a few days after hai duong come to for us to translate. we would otherwise not be able to understand because no one speaks English in the center. and so we had right from the beginning to ask, ask, ask. and ask questions with our ongoing and we have not probably really helped to create trust, the responsible center rather have brought in distress. (Where they have remained polite the whole time, all the time have smiled, as the Vietnamese in critical situations always do ...) what we expected? us from one day to the entire structure of the Centre may, with all its processes and routines completely would have turned right? (And who are we? What we have to show, to experience, I encourage my ...?) border changes take time, especially here in Vietnam. and trust.
well, and where we can help out would have wanted there, no we could not help: in the very young. the hour, every now and then would it have been so ok. but every day all day? I have no experience with babies, am in dealing with them anxious and awkward. it was just a feeling deep inside me, made me recoil. I can not describe's. this task also seemed less ... sustainable. I must now feel bad?
consider to have sufficient and I finally decided to tell me another project to look for. , Opportunities to engage, for hands-on To help in Vietnam there are more than enough. maybe we would have longer term and win the trust one or the other but can still move. but I did not want to be alone. children in this huge center with nearly 1000, which all have an incredibly strong and deep love zuneigungsbeduerfnis, of course. to go without the chance, nobody back home to win. without any real, primary linguistic communication (English). and under such strict security regulations. I, all alone? this seemed to me then too large.
I do anyone else any reproach. It's just difficult here europeaeische higher standard not count. and even if it's communications with the sometimes does not work, make efforts to sj vietnam very. when I see young girls, as they toil for us ... they are so dedicated! I am very happy that we have here. and just because they are so young - like the entire organization - they must also make "errors". just like I do them, abound in this land for me new and unusual situation in this strange. for all involved, it is a single learning process. that's why we are here: to learn from each other and each other. basically it works quite well. But sometimes ... it is not everything runs smoothly ... (Land in a "developing country" such as Vietnam and in each other (!)) ...